Quick-action mechanism



April 23, 1946. H JORDAN 2,399,123

QUI CK-ACTION MECHANI SM Filed Sept. 15, 1943 INVENTOR. 4 W H Patented Apr. 23, 1946 QUICK-ACTION MECHANISM Richard H. Jordan, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to Dominion Electrical Manufacturing, Inc., a corporation of Ohio Application September 15, 1943, Serial No. 502,480

1 Claim.

My invention relates to a mechanism to give a quick-action movement and more particularly to a quick-action switch.

An object of my invention is the provision of a quick acting switch which may be made of a few simple parts and yet be durable in operation.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a quick-action movement comprising at least two springs of unequal strength opposing each other, together with means for weakening the stronger spring by reducing its rigidity to a value that the weaker spring becomes the stronger.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a channelled flat spring which when weakened, or which when its rigidity is reduced, will give a quick acting movement.

Another object of my invention is to utilize the quick acting movement of a channelled flat spring to operate a pair of contacts for quickly interrupting an electrical circuit.

Other objects and fuller understanding of my invention may be had by referring to the following description and claim, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 represents aside elevational view of a switch embodying the features of my invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Figure 1,with the contacts shown in their open position;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a channelled flat spring employed in my invention.

With reference to the views of the drawing, my invention comprises a rigid channelled flat spring I0, two flexible switch members I I and I2 each having respectively contact points I3 and I4 for making and opening an electrical circuit, and a push button 20 engaging the channelled flat spring I0. The left-hand end as shown in the drawing of the channelled fiat spring and the flexible switch members are mounted between suitable insulating blocks which are carried by a frame I6. The insulating blocks which hold the channelled flat spring and the flexible switch members may be suitably anchored within the switch frame I6 by means of screws I! which completely pass through the insulated block and which extend from one side of the switch frame it to the other side. As mounted, the rigid channelled spring III comprises a cantilever beam.

The right-hand or free end of the channelled flat spring I0 carries an insulated button I 5 which engages the flexible switch member II to constrain the two contact points I3 and I4 together to make a closed circuit for the switch. The fiexible switch member I I when not held in place by the rigid channelled spring I0 tends to separate the contacts I3 and It to make an open circuit for the switch. The tension of the flexible switch member I I may be varied by a pressure set screw I8 and the position of the flexible switch member I2 may be set by means of a set screw I9.

In normal operation, the channelled flat spring III is rigid and can withstand the pressure of the flexible switch member II with the result that the contacts I3 and I4 are held in a closed position. In other words, the combination of the channelled flat spring I0 and the flexible switch member II comprises two springs of unequal strength opposing each other. When it is desired to open the contacts I3 and I4, it is only necessary to press the control push button 20 upwardly as shown in the drawing and deform or press the channelled flat spring I0 almost flat to weaken same. The weakened portion is indicated by the reference character 2| in Figure 5 and is located at the place where the control push button 20 engages the underneath side of the channelled flat spring. The instant that the channelled flat spring is weakened, the opposing force of the flexible switch member I I becomes stronger than the iorce at the free or right-hand end of the Chan'- nelled flat spring with the immediate result that the contact points I3 and I4 are opened with a quick-action movement. It is noted in my invention that the quick acting movement is accomplished by the combination of atleast a rigid member ID and a spring II opposing each other, together with control push button 20 for weakening or reducing the rigidity of rigid member ID to a value that the spring II becomes able to move the rigid member I0, at which instant the contacts I3 and H are separated.

The channelled flat spring Ill may be of any suitable construction and may comprise a chap nelled flat spring such as the well-known steel foot rule. Considerable pressure may b exerted by the flexible switch member I! upon the insulated button I5 without materially flexing the channelled flat spring It. Thus, in normal operation the contact points i3 and it are continu ously pressed together for establishing the electric circuit. Upon interrupting the electric circult the contacts I3 and I4 quickly separate e moment that the channelled fiat spring 26 is =;;ic--

formed or pressed almost flat at the portion II by the control push button 10. When the control push button II is released, the contacts I: and I are again immediately closed.

Although I have described my invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way oiexampie and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement 01' parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinaiter claimed.

I claim as my invention:

A quick-acting switch comprisins. in combination. a first flexible member having a contact, a second flexible member having a contact. said contacts" comprising a pair of contacts. a mounting for said first and second flexible members, said first and second flexible members extending from said mounting with a space therebetween. means contacting said second flexible member and tending to spring same away from said first flexible member and open said contacts. a relatively thin quick-acting member supported by and extending from said mounting to contact said second flexible member and constrain same from springing away from said first flex ble member and thereby hold said contacts closed, said quickacting member being substantially straight longitudinally and substantially of a concavo-convex form transversely to provide a, structural strength of a greater amount than the inherent resistance to bending of the material from which it is made, and means to contact a portion of said quickacting member between said mounting and the place of contact with said second flexible memher, said means serving to bring said concavoconvex form to a straight line form transversely of the member, whereby said second flexible member may overcome the constraining oi the quickacting member and move out of contact with said first flexible member and open said contacts.

. RICHARD H. JORDAN. 

